The Meaning Of This
by Nehasupnfan
Summary: She walked into Jam Pony leaving Alec to wonder why the odds were always against him. Alec/OFC


She walked in confidently into Jam Pony. He stilled, watching her. Somehow he couldn't tear his eyes away from hers. It reminded him of someone he didn't want to remember. Stirred up a lot of old memories and emotions. Now, he finally understood what Max felt like when she looked at him.

She felt like someone was watching her. She turned her head just in time to see a handsome guy turn his hazel gaze away from hers. She frowned. Somehow she had hoped he would hold her gaze. She saw something there but she couldn't quite figure out what it was. Slightly disappointed she turned to the supposed owner of this place, Normal.

"I'm here about the job?" Mia said to the spectacled man standing behind the counter. He seemed not to hear her because he was too busy screaming at a dark attractive woman standing by the lockers, who just rolled her eyes in exasperation. The woman turned her head to look at the same hazel eyed guy standing a few feet away from her. She must have said something funny because the corners of his mouth quirked up. He looked devastatingly handsome when he did that. Mia shook her head to untangle the cobwebs that were soon settling there.

"Umm…sir?" Mia ventured again to try and get his attention.

Normal's head whipped in her direction so fast he would have suffered from whiplash had he had long hair. His eyes squinted a bit in regard for this girl standing in front of him.

Mia felt everyone in the room looking at her and she felt like an outsider. One of the guys standing behind her grabbed the package normal was thrusting in his arms and mouthed the word 'Sir?' as if in a question. She turned around to find that most of the people who had heard her all had the same question running through their heads or they were just trying to figure out if she had a pair of wings hidden underneath the jacket she was wearing.

The dark woman from the lockers walked up to the counter and snorted.

"Looks like Normal ain't gonna stop braggin' about this one." She turned to look at Mia and said, "I think you've bloated up his ego to the size of texas." And then she smiled and held out her hand, "Original Cindy"

"Mia." Mia took her hand.

"And you're here because….."

"I'm here for a job."

Normal then thrust a package and her sector pass towards her. "You've got it!! And the rest of you can learn something from her. It's called respect!!!" He turned his attention back to her. "Welcome to jam pony messenger service. Now bip!"

Cindy rolled her eyes and turned to head out.

"But I'm not exactly familiar with this area-" Mia tried to tell Normal.

"Hey Alec, why don't you take this lovely lady under your wing?" Normal gestured towards someone behind her.

When Mia turned she came face to face with those amazing hazel eyes.

"Um…Normal, my deliveries aren't in those areas…" Alec stammered to Normal.

"No problem, I'll get missy miss take care of it. Now help this lovely lady here!" Normal smiled at 'Missy Miss'.

Missy Miss aka Max , as Mia later found out, looked at Normal with utter disgust on her face. Almost as if she believed that by doing so Normal would disappear or take his clothes off and start acting like a bigger fool. How she would love to get that on a camera. She grabbed the packages thrusted in her hands and walked out muttering expletives under her breath.

Mia turned around to face the devastatingly handsome guy. She actually looked at him properly and felt her heart beat quicken. _Looks like that should be outlawed_.

"Hi…I'm Mia." Mia started off, holding out her hand.

"Alec." Alec took her hand hesitatingly as if he was scared that he would get burnt.

"Let's get going then" Alec started to walk out of Jam Pony without even giving a backward glance at Mia to make sure that she was following him.

_This is just great! Just what I need!! _ Alec downed another shot. Why can't he live in peace? Why is the whole universe conspiring against him? What did he do wrong_? Now that's a loaded question buddy. Where do I begin?_ Ok fine, maybe he did do a lot of things in the past that he deserves being punished for but not this. This makes him unable to move on. This makes him think about things he'd rather forget.

She had her face. She looked so much like her it was scary. For him anyway. What's the meaning of this? Why's she here? It was like the blue lady didn't want him to be happy. And that's the reason she's here. She's here to remind him of his mistakes. And now that she's got a job at Jam Pony, he would be reminded of his mistakes everyday. She's here to punish him for his sins. Damn the odds were always against him.

Original Cindy watched Alec for the past one hour, downing shots after shots of tequila at Crash. He seemed to get bored of it cause he switched onto scotch. _Ah the liquor for the tortured man. _ Then she watched as the new girl, Mia, walked into Crash and took a seat right next to Alec and started making small talk. She watched Alec visibly stiffen in Mia's presence and Original Cindy frowned. If it were any other day he would totally take her out back and do the deed.

"What's got you frowning like that?" Max placed the full pitcher of beer on their table.

"What's up with your boy?"Original Cindy raised the glass of beer to her mouth.

"He's not my boy and-" Max looked at Alec and sighed, " for the first time, I think I know what's going on with him."

Original Cindy wasn't expecting that. Huh?! _Max knows what's up with Alec??_ Her eyes widened at the possibility that maybe Max and Alec were finally getting along. It must have looked comical cause Max burst out laughing.

"So you always drink alone?" Mia turned to Alec taking a sip of the beer.

"Today I am" Alec hoped to the blue lady that she took the hint and left him alone. He didn't want this. Dear god he didn't want this. He didn't want to remember anything; the mission that went horribly wrong. He didn't want to remember how he felt……about her. _He didn't want to remember her. _But here she was looking just like her. Just like the way she looked when he shook her hand at her mansion next to the piano. _Looking just like Rachel. _

Mia knew when she was being brushed off but damn her if she was going to just sit there and take it. She had been nothing but nice to him since morning and he had been nothing but clipped with her. She didn't exactly blame him. He looked like he wanted to get away from her. Like he was running from something…..almost haunted. _Well screw that! _ She was here to have some fun and for some reason she wanted to have it with Alec.

"You come across as someone who knows how to have fun" Mia tried again, standing up to take off her jacket.

Alec turned to look at her, following her movements with his eyes. _Dammit! _ Mia smirked when she saw the jaw tick.

"Wanna partake in a drinking game?" Mia raised an eyebrow.

Alec looked up in surprise. For the first time today he didn't see his Rachel in her. And then he realized. He had only looked at Mia. Not truly _seen_ her for who she actually was. Alec smiled at Mia. Huge step considering he hadn't looked at her properly even once. He slammed his glass down and leaned back a bit, assessing her.

_Alec McDowell is back ladies and gentleman! _

Mia had a huge smirk on her face seeing this sudden change in Alec's demeanor.

"First one to pass out loses" Mia smiled. "And needs to pay the winner a hundred bucks."

Alec smirked in return. Maybe the odds weren't against him after all.

"Hey Sketchy!" Alec interrupted Sketchy, who was with a girl. Probably did the girl a favor too cause the girl looked relieved at seeing that Sketchy was leaving.

"Yo!" Sketchy then looked at Mia. "New girl right? Sketchy." He extended his hand out. Mia took it and smiled.

Alec motioned for the bartender to set up more shots. He turned to look at Sketchy.

"Dude I need a favor"

"Sure thing man. Waddya need?"

"I need you sober"

"Wha- WHY?!"

"Mia and I, drinking game! Hard core edition. And you my friend, are the honorable judge" Alec put his arms around sketchy's shoulders.

"You guys are gonna be drinking and you want me to watch and maybe even possibly take one of you home?"

"Hey, maybe I'll take off my top and dance on the bar" Mia answered.

Sketchy looked at Alec who just shrugged. "Dude I'm totally in!" Sketchy's smile would have been enough to light up a Christmas tree.

"You should give up Alec" Mia slurred. She threw her head back to down another shot.

"Why? Cause I can just go on." Alec went to pick up another shot but it slipped from his hands sending the liquid spilling onto the bar counter.

"Alright that's enough!" The bartender, Luka, snatched the drinks from Mia and Alec. "Go home!"

"No no no no no….We don't even have a winner yet!" Mia whined.

"Come on Luka please……." Alec joined in trying to grab his shot back.

"Go!" Luka wasn't having any of it.

Mia huffed and picked up her jacket. Acting like a total spoilt teenager. Alec snorted behind her as they started towards the exit.

"Bet you're relieved that we didn't get to finish it" Mia turned to Alec suddenly and her head swam. She started swaying on her feet. Alec grabbed her around her waist and motioned her towards the door.

"Alec!"

Alec turned to the person who called out his name and saw a slightly pissed off Max making her way towards them.

"Maxie…."

"She's drunk!" Max exclaimed.

"So is he!" Mia retorted.

Max didn't seem too concerned about Alec. She raised an eyebrow in question. Alec only shrugged in response.

"I'll walk her home don't worry Max." Alec moved towards the door leaving Max behind, who just shook her head and went back to join O.C.

They walked arm in arm, swaying this way and that, across the long stretch of road which showed no signs of life. It was like the whole neighborhood was dead. Or out partying.

Alec figured they must have reached her place cause she stopped suddenly and turned to her right and jerked a thumb towards a window upstairs.

"Well….this is me."Mia swayed some more on her feet.

"Will you be able to make it upstairs on your own?" Alec gave his patented smirk.

"Look at you, trying to be a gentleman. Not gonna work with me mister. You're getting no where near my pants. You worry about yourself cause you're the light weight here." Mia retorted in indignation. Alec would have been offended by the comment but he sensed the underlying humor in her tone as her eyes twinkled. "See you tomorrow……..if I'm able to get my head outta the toilet. Goodnight!" And with that Mia walked upstairs desperately trying to get a hold on something so that she wouldn't fall and break her skull.

Alec couldn't help but smile, watching her retreating back. He straightened fully and continued walking, minus the sway. He would have definitely won one of those awards, had they still had those ceremonies. What were they called? Right, the Academy Awards! He chuckled. He actually had her believing in his little charade about him being drunk. Tonight he actually wished he could get drunk. _Blasted transgenic genes! _ But the night hadn't gone as badly as he thought it would. In fact it was actually fun. She was nothing like Rachel which made him smile. It was a huge relief actually cause then he can actually look at her and _see_ her and not be reminded of his past. He liked her. And he could see himself being good friends with her.

Maybe that's the meaning of this.


End file.
